The Three Stooges
The Three Stooges were an American vaudeville and comedy act of the early to mid–20th century best known for their numerous Short subject films. Their hallmark was physical farce and extreme slapstick. In films, the Stooges were commonly known by their first names: "Moe, Larry, and Curly" or "Moe, Larry, and Shemp," among other lineups. The act started as Ted Healy and his Southern Gentlemen, consisting of Moe Howard, his brother Shemp, and Larry Fine. This threesome did one feature film entitled Soup to Nuts before Shemp left to pursue a solo career. He was replaced by his brother Curly and the trio became The Three Stooges. When Curly suffered a debilitating stroke in May 1946, Shemp returned, reinstating the original lineup until Shemp's death in November, 1955. Film actor Joe Palma was used as a temporary stand-in to complete four Shemp-era shorts before Joe Besser joined as the third Stooge. Joe DeRita ("Curly Joe") replaced Besser by 1958. The act regained momentum throughout the 1960s as popular kiddie fare until Larry Fine's paralyzing stroke in January 1970 doomed its resurgence. Larry died from a series of strokes in January 1975. Moe tried one final time to revive the Stooges with longtime supporting actor Emil Sitka in Larry's role, but this attempt was cut short with Moe's passing in May 1975. In other media Comic books Over the years, several Three Stooges comics were produced. * St. John Publications published the first Three Stooges comics in 1949 with 2 issues, then again in 1953–54 with 7 issues. * Dell Comics published a Three Stooges series first as one-shots in their Four Color Comics line for five issues, then gave them a numbered series for four more issues (#6–9). With #10, the title would be published by Gold Key Comics. Under Gold Key, the series lasted through issue #55 in 1972. * Gold Key Comics then published the Little Stooges series (7 issues, 1972–74) with story and art by Norman Maurer, Moe's son-in-law. This series featured the adventures of three fictional sons of the Three Stooges, as sort of modern-day teen-age versions of the characters. * Eclipse Comics published the Three-D Three Stooges series (3 issues, 1986–1987) which reprinted stories from the St. John Publications series.[http://www.comics.org/series/3231/ Three-D Three Stooges] at the Grand Comics Database * Malibu Comics did a couple of one-shot comics, reprinting stories from the Gold Key Comics in 1989 and 1991. * Bluewater Comics issued a biographical comic in 2011 which followed the lives and careers of the group. See also * The Three Stooges in popular culture * List of slapstick comedy topics References Further reading * Besser, Joe (with Lenburg, Jeff, and Lenburg, Greg), Not Just a Stooge (1984) Excelsior Books, Inc. (reissued 1987 as Once a Stooge, Always a Stooge) Roundtable Publications (Autobiography of Joe Besser, including anecdotes about Abbott and Costello and Olsen and Johnson) * Bruskin, David N., Behind the Three Stooges: The White Brothers: Conversations with David N. Bruskin (1993) Directors Guild of America (In-depth interviews with producer-directors Jules White, Jack White, and Sam White) * Comedy III Productions, Inc., Pop, You're "Poifect!": A Three Stooges Salute to Dad (2002) Andrews McMeel * Cox, Steve and Terry, Jim, One Fine Stooge: Larry Fine's Frizzy Life in Pictures (2005) Cumberland House Publishing * Davis, Lon and Davis, Debra (eds.), Stooges Among Us (2008) BearManor Media ISBN 1-59393-300-2 * Feinberg, Morris, Larry: The Stooge in the Middle (1984) Last Gasp of San Francisco (Biography of Larry Fine, attributed to his brother but actually ghostwritten by Bob Davis) * Fericano, Paul, Stoogism Anthology (1977) Poor Souls Printing * Fine, Larry (with Carone, James), Stroke of Luck (1973) Siena Publishing Co. (Larry Fine's autobiography, transcribed from interviews toward the end of his life) * Flanagan, Bill, Last of the Moe Haircuts (1986) McGraw-Hill/Contemporary Books, Inc. * Fleming, Michael, The Three Stooges: An Illustrated History, from Amalgamated Morons to American Icons (2002) Broadway Publishing * Forrester, Jeffrey, The Stoogephile Trivia Book (1982) Contemporary Books, Inc. * Forrester, Jeffrey, The Stooge Chronicles (1981) Contemporary Books, Inc. (Comprehensive overview of the team's career; also discusses the various Ted Healy stooges) * Forrester, Tom, with Forrester, Jeff, The Stooges' Lost Episodes (1988) Contemporary Books, Inc. (Discussion of obscure Stooges appearances, including solo films by individual Stooges) * Forrester, Jeff, with Forrester, Tom, and Wallison, Joe, The Three Stooges: The Triumphs and Tragedies of the Most Popular Comedy Team of All Time (2001) Donaldson Books * Garner, Paul, Mousie Garner: Autobiography of a Vaudeville Stooge (1999) McFarland & Co. * Hansen, Tom and Forrester, Jeffrey, Stoogemania: An Extravaganza of Stooge Photos, Puzzles, Trivia, Collectibles and More (1984) Contemporary Books, Inc. (Overview of Three Stooges memorabilia) * Howard, Moe, Moe Howard and the Three Stooges (1977) Citadel Press (Moe Howard's autobiography, completed and released posthumously by his daughter) * Koceimba, Bill, with Kaufman, Eric A., and Sack, Steve, The Three Stooges Golf Spoof and Trivia Book (1999) Gazelle, Inc. * Kurson, Robert, The Official Three Stooges Encyclopedia: The Ultimate Knucklehead's Guide to Stoogedom, from Amalgamated Association of Morons to Ziller, Zeller, and Zoller (1999) McGraw-Hill * Kurson, Robert, The Official Three Stooges Cookbook (1998) Contemporary Books, Inc. * Lenburg, Jeff, with Maurer, Joan Howard, and Lenburg, Greg, The Three Stooges Scrapbook (1982, revised 1994, 2000) Citadel Press * Longley, Maximillian, The Conservative In Spite of Himself: A Reluctant Right-Winger's Thoughts on Life, Law and the Three Stooges (2007) Monograph Publishers * Maltin, Leonard, The Great Movie Comedians (1978) Crown Books * Maltin, Leonard, Movie Comedy Teams (1970, revised 1985) New American Library * Maltin, Leonard, Selected Short Subjects (first published as The Great Movie Shorts, 1972) Crown Books, (revised 1983) Da Capo Press * McGarry, Annie, The Wacky World of the Three Stooges (1992) Crescent Books * Maurer, Joan Howard, Curly: An Illustrated Biography of the Superstooge (1985, revised 1988) Citadel Press * Maurer, Joan Howard (ed.), The Three Stooges Book of Scripts (1984) Citadel Press * Maurer, Joan Howard and Maurer, Norman (eds.), The Three Stooges Book of Scripts, Volume II (1987) Citadel Press * Okuda, Ted and Watz, Edward, The Columbia Comedy Shorts (1998) McFarland & Co. (Comprehensive history of the Columbia short subject department; Stooge colleagues Edward Bernds and Emil Sitka are quoted extensively) * Seely, Peter and Pieper, Gail W., Stoogeology: Essays on the Three Stooges (2007) McFarland & Co. * Smith, Ronald L., The Stooge Fans' I.Q. Test (1988) Contemporary Books, Inc. * Solomon, Jon, The Complete Three Stooges: The Official Filmography and Three Stooges Companion (2000) Comedy III Productions External links *Three Stooges Online Filmography *The Three Stooges Official Website (sanctioned by C3 Entertainment, Inc. *The Stoogeum (Three Stooges Museum) * *Portrait (2009) of The Three Stooges (with Shemp) by noted illustrator Drew Friedman *Interview with Moe Howard on new success with the younger generation from the Ocala Star-Banner – February 22, 1959 accessed via Google News * * Category:1925 introductions Category:Dell Comics titles Category:Fictional trios Category:Gold Key Comics titles Category:Jewish comedians Category:Jewish comedy and humor Category:Quantified human groups Category:Slapstick comedians Category:Television series by Sony Pictures Television Category:The Three Stooges films Category:The Three Stooges Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer contract players